PAOGA - Privacy & Trust in the Digital Age

January 27, 2009

Yet another example of the risks and dangers of your personal information sitting on up to 1,000 disparate data silos. Are you one of the 4.5 million whose personal details can 'be used by organised gangs to open fake bank accounts or take out loans in the names of unsuspecting customers'?

January 26, 2009

I have been working with Dr Ailsa
Kolsaker at the University of Surrey to research UK individuals’ attitude
to personal privacy and awareness of risk to providing information online and
the resulting effect on their online behaviour.

Your assistance in contributing
to this research project and asking your friends and family to participate will be greatly appreciated.

'Today we mourn
the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many
years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long
ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated
such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to
come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always
fair; and maybe it was my fault. Common Sense
lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn)
and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His
health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing
regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual
harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using
mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student,
only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost
ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had
failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further
when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or
an Elastoplast to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became
pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost
the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became
businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common
Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your
own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense
finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a
steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was
promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was
preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his
daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4
stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm
A Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone. If
you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do
nothing.'

And a little
extra. . . Can you imagine
working for a company that has a little more than 600Employees and has
the following statistics?

29 have been
accused of spouse abuse

7 have been
arrested for fraud

19 have been
accused of writing bad cheques

117 have directly
or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses

3 have done time
for assault

71 cannot get a
credit card due to bad credit

4 have been
arrested on drug-related charges

8 have been
arrested for shoplifting

21 are currently
defendants in lawsuits

84 have been
arrested for drink driving in the last year

Which
organisation is this?

It's the 635
members of the House of Commons, the same group that cranks out hundreds of new
laws each year designed to keep the rest of us in line.

Surely it can't be true!

I am advised by Paul (thanks) that this is a hoax - see his comment. Still, makes you think!